


The Lonely Bench

by elliemoran



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: Still Have Powers, F/F, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-05
Updated: 2014-01-05
Packaged: 2018-01-07 13:30:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1120405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elliemoran/pseuds/elliemoran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Asami Sato has saved her company, and her family's good name, and yet as the new year begins she's having trouble finding anything to look forward to. But she's about to meet Korra, and her life will never be the same.</p><p> </p><p>(Modern AU, with bending)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Lonely Bench

**Author's Note:**

> This is for nightworldlove on Tumblr, for the 2013 Avatar Secret Santa exchange. Super last minute/late, but I hope you like it :)

 

It was nearly over.

The ceiling of the crowded, cavernous room seemed to ripple as the lights reflected off of countless jewels and glittering dresses. The large window doors were shut tight against the winter cold, and the room was warm and full of chattering voices.

Asami Sato smiled and nodded, and used what energy she had left to keep up the social façade she’d perfected over the last year. The stress and anxiety that had been living in her stomach for the past several weeks had finally dissipated, leaving only a bone deep exhaustion behind.

Maybe tonight she’d be able to sleep.

All she had to do was keep going for another couple hours – once midnight came around, everyone would cheer, kiss, and go home. There was nothing she needed to worry about for now. The well trained staff made the endless flow of food and drink look almost magical, the house was beautifully decorated, and packed with just about everyone who had received an invitation, plus a few who hadn’t.

There was nothing to indicate that the Sato family, or their company, had been anywhere near the brink of social and financial ruin within the last decade, let alone the last twelve months.

Apart from the conversation.

“I just don’t know how you can stand it,” The woman standing across from her shuddered dramatically as she fiddled with the ruffles framing the deep neckline of her dress. Asami brought her attention back to the small crowd surrounding her as she shuffled through her memory for a name. Mitzi – that was it. Her husband owned Future Industries’ largest paint supplier. “I mean, you find a whole city of tunnels under your house, and yet you still live here. I’d be absolutely _terrified_ some nasty criminal would sneak in and murder me in my bed.” She tittered and glanced around quickly, as if hoping to catch someone popping out from the woodwork that lined the walls.

Asami made herself smile gently. “The tunnels were greatly exaggerated. There is nothing to worry about.”

“Oh, don’t be so melodramatic, Mitzi.” The abrupt voice came from another, taller woman standing beside Asami. This face took no time at all to place; Su Lin’s mother was a vice president at Cabbage Corp, one of Future Industries long time competitors. Su Lin had been a few years ahead of Asami at school, and she’d taken every opportunity to make it clear that she disliked the younger girl. She sniffed. “If I were you, Miss Sato, I’d be far more worried about the vipers you invited tonight. You really take niceness too far - all these people abandoned Future Industries at the first sign of trouble.” The others shifted uncomfortably as she eyed them all deliberately. “They’re only here now because you have money again.”

“Well, I never.” Mitzi spluttered. “My husband and I _never_ turned our backs on Miss Sato.“ She switched her gaze to Asami and clenched her plump hands together in front of her. “I would never walk away from a friend in need.”

Su Lin snorted. “You’d never walk away from a fresh source of gossip, more like.”

Mitzi’s jaw dropped open. Figuring they were all too engrossed to notice her absence, Asami started to back away.

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to go check on the champagne.” She murmured, but no one even turned to look as she walked away. 

By the time Mitzi had collected herself enough to respond, Asami was far enough away that she could just barely make out the high pitched voice. She sighed and wished Su Lin luck. It was ironic that the person that she’d hated the most in high school was now one of her favorite people.

She’d learned to appreciate blunt honesty, even if the person was honestly saying they hated her.

There was no need to check on the champagne, or anything at all, but she kept walking back towards the door leading to the kitchens. If nothing else she could avoid having to talk to any of her other guests for at least a little while longer.

It was bad enough having to listen to the snippets of conversation going on around her. The words that only the rudest would say to her face floated around unchecked when they thought she couldn’t hear.

They had labeled her as weak for not firing everyone that might have been involved in her father’s plans, and yet she was heartless for turning against her father and the few who’d been convicted along with him. She’d put the company above her own integrity by taking money from the notorious Varrick, and yet she wasn’t half as devoted to Future Industries as her father had been.

She was an equalist, and yet she was too supportive of bender rights. The gossips couldn’t make up their minds.

She’d gotten so tired of it all.

Finally reaching the back wall, Asami’s eyes fixed on the side door leading out to the gardens, partially hidden by a screen.

She glanced around. No one was looking her way. Biting her lip, she eased herself around the corner of the screen and then out the door, closing it softly behind her.

Shivering in the icy air, she wrapped her bare arms around her body as she stepped out onto the path that circled the house. She tilted her head up to look at the clear night sky and watched the stars shimmer through the white steam of her breath.

She felt as if she’d just woken up from a long sleep, just by stepping outside.

Bright light shone through the tall windows and cast long yellow strips on the snow covered lawn. She could hear the muffled sounds of music and too many people talking at once, but it was so distant.  Out here she couldn’t distinguish any words at all.

She took a deep breath, and felt the tension in her shoulders ease.

Without hesitation, she walked deeper into the shadowy garden until the only sound she could hear was the click of her own heels, muffled by the thin layer of snow that lay over the shoveled pathways. She kept going until she reached a tiny, rarely used corner of the garden.

Finding the narrow gap at the back of one of the hedges, she inched through, barely noticing when the sharp branches caught at her stockings and hair. When she finally broke through, she smiled as she looked around the tiny snow covered square, barely big enough for the marble bench at the center.

She’d never worked out why this place was here, but she’d loved it since the first time she’d found it as a little girl.

Brushing the untouched snow off of a corner of the bench, she sat on the cold stone and let herself relax. The high walls of greenery made it seem as if she was completely alone in the world. Out here, there was no one relying on her for anything, no one to lie to her, and there was no one else’s opinion for her to worry about.  She was beautifully alone, and it was the closest thing to peace she’d felt in a very long time.

Just for a minute, she let herself wallow in it.

And then she sighed, and stood up, brushing at the wetness on the seat of her deep red dress. She’d have to sneak into one of the guest bathrooms on the bottom floor and dry herself off before returning to the party.

She was just starting to edge her way back into the gap when she heard a giggle. She froze.

“Not here, you naughty boy. Someone will see.“ Asami’s eyes widened at the woman’s gravelly voice. She’d recognize it anywhere.

She heard a squeal, and Asami found herself scowling. She’d always liked Governor Raiko’s wife, and would never have expected her to be the type to cheat.

“No one will come this way, love, and this bad boy doesn’t wanna wait.” A deep voice answered, and Asami smacked her hand over her mouth even as she heard the woman giggle again.

As unlikely as Mrs. Raiko cheating would be, hearing Governor Raiko refer to himself – or any part of himself – as ‘bad boy’ was… very hard to take in.  

“But it’s too cold out here, darling. Be good until we get home.”

“I’ll keep you warm.”

Asami felt her lips twitch as she heard what she assumed was wet kissing sounds, but the moan that followed made her cheeks flush. She’d had so many things to deal with in the last year that finding a partner hadn’t even occurred to her. But no matter how ridiculous these two seemed right now, she couldn’t help feeling a little envious. Or a lot.

“Let’s ditch.”

“What?”

“This place is packed. No one will miss us - let’s go bring in the new year all by ourselves.”

“Really?” Asami was as shocked as the woman sounded. She’d never known the governor to pass up the slightest opportunity to show off to a crowd.

“Only if you promise to take good care of my-“ Asami hastily stuck her fingers in her ears. She’d have a hard enough time forgetting this much the next time she had to deal with the governor. She really didn’t want any more mental imagery.

By the time she cautiously dropped her hands, they were gone.

Asami stood at the edge of her small haven, staring absently in the direction the voices had come from. She was absolutely still, apart from the occasional shiver.

Governor Raiko was right. The place was packed, and everyone would assume he was somewhere else in the house.

She bit her lip. She could do it too. Just take off. Come back at midnight, just in time to watch everyone leave.

It was incredibly irresponsible.

But no would ever know.

She smiled.

 

 

\---

 

 

Korra’s hands were clenched firmly on the wheel as she forced herself to take slow, even breaths.

She hated driving. And the constant arguments coming from the back were not helping.

“Stop it, Ikki, you have your own set.” Jinorra’s voice had been getting steadily louder.

“But I wanted the red card. You already have one at home.” Ikki whined.

“Then you shouldn’t have spent all your money on candy, and then you could have gotten more than one pack.“

“That’s not the _point_. Let me see.”

Korra gritted her teeth when she felt Ikki’s feet hit the back of her chair as she moved around to try and grab whatever they were fighting over.

Taking the kids to town to keep them out of their mother’s hair while she directed the last of the preparations for tonight’s party had seemed like a great idea this afternoon. It meant Korra could get out of cooking, or cleaning, and she figured it’d be fun to go hang out at the bookstore for a couple hours.

It had been hell. She was never taking the brats out in public again.

“Girls. Please sit still.”

“Sorry.” Ikki muttered, and her feet stopped hitting the back of the driver’s seat.

“I gotta go pee.”

“Oh Meelo, now?” Korra glanced quickly in the rearview mirror at the youngest of the siblings. “We’ll be home in fifteen minutes. Can’t you wait?”

“Nope. I gotta go now.” He was bouncing in his car seat, and Korra stifled a sigh.

They were in out in the middle of nowhere, so an actual bathroom was not going to happen. Finding a small copse of trees on a patch of road as far away from any blind curves as possible, Korra pulled off to the side. Her irritation started sliding away the moment she stepped out of the car and her feet crunched into the snow. Dealing with ice and snow, in all its cold, wet, and slippery forms was as natural to her as breathing – when she had her feet firmly on the ground. Put her in a metal box travelling at high speeds, with her hands and feet occupied and unable to bend, and she was a nervous wreck.

She pulled open the back door, and unclipped Meelo’s harness. He took off into the woods, only just keeping his feet on the ground. They weren’t allowed to use their bending unless they were at home or someplace where everyone already knew who they were – and even then it was becoming more and more socially unacceptable to bend around non-benders. But for these kids especially, as the only air-benders in the world, the slightest slip and their lives would never be the same.

While their father knew he couldn’t keep them anonymous forever, he was doing his best to keep their images out of the media for as long as possible.  

Korra watched carefully until Meelo came zooming back out of the trees, and didn’t comment when she saw him jump a little higher than he should have over a bump in the snow. She knew the caution was necessary, but she had firsthand experience of how frustrating it was to have to hold herself back all the time.

As she buckled him back in, she glanced at the girls, who both had their arms crossed over their chests and were very carefully not looking – or talking – to each other.

She’d see if she could help them make up once she got them got home. For now, the quiet would make the drive go a lot more smoothly.

She hoped.

 

 

___

 

 

Asami had very quickly realized she couldn’t actually go anywhere. The last thing she wanted was for someone to get a picture of her somewhere that she shouldn’t be, during the party she’d thrown to prove that the Sato family was as strong and dedicated to Future Industries as ever.

But she had a full tank of gas, and she liked being alone anyway.

She turned the car away from anywhere lots of people would be and drove slowly, enjoying the beautiful emptiness, and the freedom of being able to go wherever she wanted – within reason.

When her headlights reflected off of a car at the side of the road up ahead with bright blue light shining from under the open hood, Asami struggled to tell herself she should just keep driving.

But it was a cold night, and it was New Year’s Eve. It would be hard to get a mechanic or a tow truck this far out with any speed.

She pulled over.

As she stepped out of the car, she saw a form come out from under the hood and start in her direction. She was relieved to see the figure was female – she could defend herself whichever way, of course, but she felt safer with it not being a guy.

“Car won’t start?” She called out, and stepped forward enough that she would be visible too.

The girl looked to be around the same age as Asami, maybe a little younger, but she didn’t seem at all anxious at being stranded on the side of the road late at night. “No, it starts, but the steering wheel felt strange, and the indicator thing said the engine was hot, so I pulled over.”

Asami glanced at the car and nodded. “Did you feel something just before the steering went? Like a snap or a clunk?”

They were close enough now that Asami saw the girl’s eyes go wide. “You know what’s wrong?”

“I think so. Is it ok if I take a look?”

The girl laughed, and Asami blinked at the rich sound. She hadn’t realized how long it had been since she’d heard a genuine laugh.

“Of course you can, and please do.” She grinned, and her teeth shone brightly against her skin in the headlights. “The only thing I know is that the thing runs on gas, but beyond that I’m completely lost.” She stuck out a hand. “I’m Korra.”

Asami blinked, but she reached out her own. “My name’s Asami.” She pulled her hand away. She could still feel Korra’s strong grip, though it hadn’t been tight at all. She felt a shiver run up her spine.

“You must be freezing, don’t you have a coat?”

Looking down at her tailored sheath dress, Asami realized she probably should have planned a little better. But if she’d gone back in the house, she would have talked herself out of the whole thing. “I forgot.”

“Here.” Asami looked up, startled, as she felt Korra draping her own coat over Asami’s shoulders.

“But what about you?” The coat was incredibly warm, and smelled of leather and soap and something else that she couldn’t place.

Korra waved her hand. She was wearing a thin t-shirt, and her arms were mostly bare, apart from the collection of bracelets she wore on each wrist. “I grew up in the south. This is nothing.”

Biting her lip, Asami slipped her arms into the sleeves. “Thank you.”

“No problem.”

“Ah. Do you have the flashlight?”

“Oh, yeah. Let me check.”

When Korra opened the car door, Asami was surprised to hear a babble of childish voices coming from inside the car.

“Who is it, Korra?”

“Let me come help, I think it might be the timing belt-“

“Korra, is it a girl?”

“I can see her, she’s pretty!” The last one sounded like it came from a very young child. Asami found herself flushing.

“Shhh, Meelo. No Jinora, stay in the car.” Korra hastily shut the door and walked back to hand a flashlight to Asami. For the first time she seemed a little flustered. “Sorry. They never stop.”

As Asami moved to the front of the car, she decided the light she had seen as she pulled up must have just been the moon’s reflection.

She climbed up on the front bumper of the car – it was almost as old as hers, but it had seen a lot more use - and leaned over to look into the engine. The voice from inside the car had been right.

“It looks like your timing belt snapped.” She started backing out.

“Told you so.” Asami hit her head on the hood as the new voice came from her other side.

“Jinora, I told you to stay in the car – are you ok?” The last was said to Asami as she stepped back onto the ground, rubbing the top of her head.

“Meelo was right, you are pretty. How do you get your hair like that?” The smaller of the two girls standing next to the car was bouncing on her toes as she stared up at Asami.

“Did I break it ‘cuz I made us stop?” Asami jumped as the youngest voice came from just behind her.

“No, it wouldn’t have been anything like that.” She told him, and was rewarded with a bright, gap toothed smile.

“Ok, all three of you need to get back in the car, now.”

“But it’s getting cold in there.” Asami was pretty sure the one that said that was called Jinora.

“It’s colder out here.” Korra sounded frustrated.

“It’s boring in there.” That was the smaller girl, the one Asami didn’t have a name for yet.

Jinora looked up at Asami. “Do you know how to work with cars? I know a little, but Korra wouldn’t let me help.”

Korra snorted. “Pema would kill me if I brought you back with your clothes all greasy.”

“But what about the pretty lady’s clothes?” The younger girl asked.

Asami swallowed as all eyes fixed on her dress, sticking out beneath Korra’s coat. She’d rarely dealt with children, and she wondered if being around them was always like this.

“Um.” The eyes all shot up to her face. “If the belt is broken, there isn’t much that can be done until you get it into a garage, in any case.”

Korra’s face fell. “That means I’m going to have to call Tenzin and he’s going to have to come get us.” She sighed. “Again.”

Asami knew she really should just wave goodbye and go back to her guests. “I could drive you?”

“Oh, no. That’s ok.” Korra’s response was quick, and Asami had to suppress a pang of disappointment.

“Korra, can’t we? It’s cold in the car too, and daddy always takes ages.”

“No, Ikki, Asami probably has her own plans.”

“I really don’t mind. I’m not going anywhere.” Evidently.  “Actually, I was at the party already, but I left.” She looked up and smiled as she met Korra’s eyes. “You’d actually be doing me a favor by giving me something to do tonight.”

Korra stared at her for a long minute, and Asami felt her smile lose strength.

“All right.” Asami relaxed as Korra looked away. “Jinorra, could you please get Meelo’s seat? Ikki, get your booster.” She ignored Ikki’s groan. “We’ll have to leave the car here, so make sure you have everything.”

She turned and grinned at Asami. “I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into.”

 

 

 ___

 

 

Apart from the fact that they’d left Tenzin’s car on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, Korra was feeling pretty lucky.

Her eyes kept drifting over to the girl sitting in the driver’s seat, still wrapped in Korra’s fur lined coat. Asami had her eyes fixed ahead as she competently maneuvered the car over the icy road, and Korra was glad of the opportunity to let her eyes linger.

Meelo was right. Asami was very pretty.

“I’ve never met anyone named after the Avatar before. I’d thought that was quite a recent thing. You can’t be much younger than her.”

Korra choked at Asami’s comment, and had to cough to clear her throat enough to speak. “Sorry. Yeah. My parents were way ahead of the game.”

“Oh. You said you came from the south, are you a water-bender?”

“Ah, not exactly.” Korra shot a look back over her shoulder when she heard Ikki draw in a breath. Jinora already had her hand over her sister’s mouth. They’d only just met this person. As much as she wanted to, she knew she really shouldn’t share who she was just yet, at least not till her dad or Tenzin got a chance to meet her. If that ever happened.

Asami nodded. “I wondered.  I don’t actually know too many benders personally, and you’re the first adult Korra I’ve ever met at all.”

“You don’t know many benders?” Korra was surprised. Despite the occasional tensions between benders and non-benders, it was pretty hard to find any group – apart from the equalists themselves – that weren’t a mixed bag. 

“My dad… he was kind of funny about it. He never said anything openly, but he made sure I went to a school that was only non-benders, things like that.”  She smiled slightly at Korra. “It took me a while to realize how much he hated them.”

Korra shook her head, her eyes fixed on Asami’s face. That smile had somehow seemed extremely sad.

Ikki had evidently managed to pull away from Jinora far enough to get a question out. “Do _you_ hate benders though?”

“No, definitely not.” Asami glanced up at the rearview mirror. “Actually, I was always kind of addicted to pro-bending, my dad just never realized it. I used to go to the matches all the time, when my favorite team played.”

“Really? So who do you like the most?” Jinora wasn’t even trying to hold Ikki back anymore. Korra really wanted to know the answer to that one too.

“Well, there were a few, but my very favorites have to be the Fire Ferrets. I haven’t seen them since the Avatar joined the team because of my- are you ok?”

Korra had started coughing again. “I’m fine, dust in my throat or something.” She looked back and saw Jinora had her hand over Ikki’s mouth again.

“So why’d you leave the party so early on New Year’s eve anyway?” She said, hastily changing the subject.

 Asami hesitated, and for a moment the car was silent.

“I guess, I just didn’t want to be there anymore.” She said softly.

“We’re here!” Meelo shouted from the back.

Korra looked out the window. “Oh. That’s it.” She pointed to the well lit house, and Asami pulled up the car to the curb.

All three kids were out of the car and running to the house in seconds, leaving all their things behind.

Korra sighed, but started pulling it all out and dumping it on the snow covered grass beside the car. She’d make them come back and get it all.

When the car was clear, she leaned down to look into the car at Asami. “Thank you for your help.”

Asami shook her head. “It was no problem.”

Korra hesitated. “Do you want to come in?”

“I should probably get back.”

“Ok.” Korra didn’t move. Asami was smiling, but it still hadn’t reached her eyes, and her face seemed far too pale.

“I’d really like it if you came in. Please?”

Their eyes held for a moment. Without a word, Asami turned off the car.

 

 

___

 

 

Asami had no idea what she was doing.

As soon as she got out of the car, Korra grabbed her by the hand and pulled her towards a large house that looked like someone had taken three very different homes and mashed them all together.

“Pema, Mom, we’re back!” Korra called out as she pushed open the front door.

From the noise the three kids were already making, Asami was pretty sure that wasn’t news to anyone.

“Ok, so which one of you thought it would be a good idea to paint the baby before you left.” A brown haired woman came clattering down the stairs just beside the front door.

“But Mommy, you said you wanted us all to look nice for tonight.” That was Ikki. Somehow Asami wasn’t surprised, even after knowing her for such a small amount of time.

“Covering him in marker pen was _not_ what I-“ She was cut off when an older man with bushy salt and pepper hair came out from a doorway on the other side of the entrance hall.

“Pema, do you want the chicken legs in the oven, or do they get grilled.”

“What? We don’t have any chicken legs-“ She hurried after him, seemingly forgetting that at least one of her children had painted a baby.

Someone else started thudding down the stairs, the kids scattered, and Asami tightened her grip on Korra’s hand. This was like nothing she’d ever experienced

“Excuse me.” The deep voice came from behind her, and she jumped and moved aside. The man in the doorway was heavily muscled, solidly built, and a good foot taller than she was. He eyed her curiously.    

“You must be the one who rescued my daughter.”

Asami blinked, and then saw the resemblance. “No, I just gave her a lift. I should, ah.” She looked over at Korra and started to loosen her grip. “I should probably get going.”

Korra didn’t let go.

“Oh please stay.” Asami’s head whipped around at the new voice. The woman that stepped around the huge man had to be Korra’s mother. Before Asami realized what was happening she had gotten ahold of Asami’s other wrist and was gently tugging her, and her daughter, towards the doorway Pema had disappeared through. “At least let us feed you for your trouble.”

They stepped into the large kitchen, crammed with more people moving around and talking than Asami could possibly take in. Even the busiest gatherings she usually attended followed certain rules and patterns of behavior. This place with people exuberantly shouting and running and arguing and laughing was nothing like she was used to.

She loved it, almost instantly.

The glass door at the back of the room slid open, and she watched a tall tattooed man bend his head to step through. She could hear voices arguing outside, evidently about how long something needed to cook, but all her attention was on the man.

She knew him, all too well. Tenzin was a member of the former governor Tarrlok’s staff. And the only living adult air-bender.

As if it was his cue, Meelo ran by her legs towards Tenzin, and Asami blinked as she realized he looked like he was floating.

That was Tenzin. Korra had mentioned a Tenzin, but it hadn't clicked then - it did now. Ikki, Meelo, and Jinora must be his kids.

So the girl named Korra who had been looking after three air-benders must be-

Her head whipped around to find Korra looking at her with a rueful smile on her face.

“Sorry.”

“You’re the avatar.”

Nodding, Korra tightened her grip on Asami’s hand. She glanced up at a clock on the wall, and then back as Asami “Will you come with me?”

Blinking at the intent expression on Korra’s face. Asami forgot about all the activity around them. “Ok.”

Korra grinned, and then took off, pulling Asami behind her out through the sliding doors and past a crowd of people around a large grill.

There was more than one familiar face in this lot. Police Chief Bei Fong had been at Asami’s party earlier tonight, and she’d assumed she was still there. She was not – she was currently arguing with the older man who had asked about the chicken legs.

Asami wondered if anyone at all was actually still at her house.

The air was cold against her heated cheeks, and Asami was grateful she was still wearing Korra’s coat, as she pulled it tighter around herself with her free hand. She wished she was wearing something other than heels though, as her feet started to get wet and cold.

They finally started to slow as they climbed a low, treeless hill. At the top, Asami saw an old, weather beaten stone bench.

The thing looked like the starkly functional type of bench that had been built maybe forty or fifty years ago, and it certainly looked worn enough to have been here that long, with thick stone pillars that dug deep into the ground. Tracks had worn away the snow all the way around it, and it was clear and dry. People obviously came here often.

Korra sat and gently tugged at Asami’s hand until she sat next to her. Their palms were sweaty, but Asami somehow didn’t mind.

They sat in silence.

After a little while, Asami’s breathing evened out, and she watched the stars twinkling above for the second time that night. It was breathtakingly beautiful, far more than the first time.

She thought of her hidden bench, and how she'd always loved being the only one who ever went there. She glanced at Korra. She’d never realized how nice it felt to have someone else sitting beside her.

A loud crack had her jumping, her head whipping around as a large burst of light filled the sky in front of them. A moment later she spotted more fireworks flaring up all along the horizon, a little further away, and then large crackling rockets were flying through the sky directly in front of them. She tightened her grip on Korra's hand. From where they sat, it was almost like the low hill was surrounded on all sides by explosions of light, and it was one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen.

She turned in amazement, a smile on her face.

Korra wasn't watching the fireworks at all. Their eyes met, and somehow they were both leaning towards each other and Korra’s parted lips met hers for a long, soft moment.

When they pulled apart, Asami couldn’t remember ever feeling anything quite like the simple happiness rushing through her.

“Happy new year.” Korra reached up with her free hand and stroked back Asami’s hair from her face. “It's going to be a good one, I can tell."

Asami nodded, and then grinned, and then laughed.

It was going to be a great year.


End file.
